Dierks Bentley: Real Man of Genius

Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

May 6, 2008 — Dierks Bentley is a country star, a hit songwriter, and now the fan favorite adds another job title to his resume: Real Man of Genius. In addition to releasing his fan-picked greatest hits album today, he's also been tabbed as the latest person to appear in the Bud Light "Real Men Of Genius" series of commercials.

"Getting a 'real men of genius' spot is pretty much the pinnacle for a dude that likes to drink beer, and I've had to nurse a lot of hangovers over the years to reach this status," says Dierks. "It is pretty funny to be on the same list as 'Mr. Restroom Toilet Paper Refiller' and 'Mr. Push Up Bra Inventor,' not to mention 'Mr. Tiny Thong Bikini Wearer' and 'Mr. Bass Plaque Maker.'"

In the Bud Light spots, Dierks will be known as "Mr. Sad Country Song Songwriter." Click here for a sneak peek of the ad! Look for the ad to debut later this month.

Meanwhile, the album sets a bit of a precedent. Dierks got feedback from his fans about nearly every aspect of the album, including the title, Greatest Hits//Every Mile A Memory 2003-2008. In fact, he followed the fans’ advice so closely that he allowed the CD to go in some artistic directions that weren’t really his first choice.

"The fans picked some pictures, like the front cover," he told the national radio show GAC Nights: Live From Nashville. "It’s a great shot. Would it have been the one that I picked? Maybe not. Probably would’ve looked at some other stuff, too, but that’s the one they loved, and that’s the one we went with. We really tried to stay true to what they picked — and we did, with no exceptions. They also loved a picture of me and [my dog] Jake together, which I thought was a good shot, too. We put that on the back cover, so it just really turned out great."

The first 3,000 fans who submitted their suggestions for the album are listed in the liner notes as executive producers, though some folks might find a magnifying glass is required to read them. In addition to 10 hits, the CD also features five live recordings, plus two new tracks, including a duet with "Stupid Boy" songwriter Sarah Buxton.